How to recruit basketball players

Basketball Recruiting | College Basketball Recruiting

What is college basketball recruiting and how does it work?

College basketball recruiting is a process through which college basketball coaches invite players to compete as players on their respective collegiate teams. Basketball recruiting means that a coach or an assistant has learned about a player and would like to learn more about him or her.

The recruiting process may begin with outreach from the coaches and staff beginning after the sophomore year. Coaches and assistants may remain in regular contact with players in which they are particularly interested. They may begin to extend offers during the senior year. There are a few ways that athletes can try to get coaches to notice them, including the following:

• Reaching out to the coaches directly
• In-person scouting
• College recruiting services

How does basketball recruiting work for colleges?

The college basketball recruiting process can occur in multiple ways, including in-person contact, emails, text messages, phone calls, and social media. The NCAA basketball recruiting rules differ between Division I, II, and III schools.

The rules govern when coaches can reach out to potential prospects. They also govern when coaches can watch players in live action and when players can visit the schools. There are also rules about how the students can have interactions with the coaches as well as their academics and more. Recruiting is a long and complex process, making it important for you to understand how it works and to prepare.

How many students are recruited to play college basketball each year?

The statistics on basketball recruiting can put things into perspective. According to the National Collegiate Athletics Association, there are an estimated 546,400 male high school basketball players and 429,400 female high school basketball players. However, only 18,700 men and 16,600 women move on to become college basketball athletes. This is a recruiting rate of just 3.4 percent of the men and 3.9 percent of the women who play basketball at the high school level.

Want to be recruited to play basketball in college?

If you want to be recruited to play basketball in college, it is important for you to start working on your goal beginning in your freshman year. If you are older, you can still work to try to get recruited, but it might take some additional effort. Here are some things that you need to know to get started.

College recruiting basics

There are some terms that you should know that can help you to make sense of the  NCAA basketball recruiting process. These terms describe different players in the process and their roles. The terms also apply to different times in the recruiting timeline.

A college basketball recruit is a high school player who is approached by a college coach and asked to play on the school’s basketball team. The recruiting process is strictly regulated by the NCAA. There are rules about when coaches can contact players and when players can visit the campuses and programs. In general, coaches can reach out to players that they want to recruit during and after their junior years.

A college basketball commit is a recruited player who has committed to play for a particular team at a specific college. This is a player who signs an agreement to participate in the basketball program of a college that has recruited him or her. Once he or she commits, other colleges cannot recruit him or her.

A college basketball prospect is a high school basketball player in whom a coach or assistant might be interested. Someone who is considered a prospect will not necessarily be recruited, however. Teams may send out many letters each year to prospects who will never be recruited. You are a prospect if you play high school basketball from your freshman year on up.

College recruiters are coaches and assistant coaches who actively identify high school students in which they might be interested. The recruiters may keep rosters of athletes that they might be interested in and track their performance throughout their high school careers. They may also track the players’ rankings, attend live games, and work to build relationships with students that they recruit.

Men’s and women’s basketball recruiting

The planning process for men’s recruiting should begin during your freshman year. Students can create lists of 100 prospective colleges and prepare their highlight videos. They might want to play for Amateur Athletic Union teams and participate in basketball clinics or camps. They can also make unlimited unofficial visits to different schools.

During your sophomore year, you should videotape your games as a part of the men’s recruiting process. Players can begin making calls to coaches and sending emails. They should aim to attend elite basketball camps at a high-caliber level. During this time, DIII and NAIA programs can contact players at any time under the men’s basketball recruiting rules. DI and DII coaches cannot contact you, but you are able to send them letters and email them. Beginning on June 15 after your sophomore year, DI and DII coaches can begin reaching out to players.

During your junior year, you should respond to every coach who emails or writes to you. You should also reach out to coaches and ask questions about their programs. Go to camps and make certain to keep your grades up. Send highlight videos to programs in which you are particularly interested.

During your senior year, you can make a maximum of five official visits as a part of the men’s basketball recruiting process. You can also make unofficial visits to schools. You should narrow down your list of colleges and complete tryouts for DII and junior college programs. Finally, commit to a school and make certain to talk to the coach about the summer workout program.

The women’s basketball recruiting process also begins during your freshman year. During this year, create your highlight video and research schools until you have a list of 50 to 100 prospective colleges. Join an AAU team and send letters of introduction to coaches. Make phone calls and send emails to start building relationships, and attend a women’s basketball camp to develop your skills.

During your sophomore year of the women’s recruiting timeline, you should film another highlights tape. Make certain that you attend camps and compete in tournaments. Continue the relationship-building process with coaches through emails and phone calls and make unofficial visits.

During your junior year, follow up with coaches and film a new highlights tape. Respond to all coaches who contact you. Narrow down your list of colleges and make unofficial visits. Ask coaches where you stand on their lists.

During your senior year, the women’s recruiting process kicks into high gear. You can make a maximum of five official visits. Complete unofficial visits and complete your college and financial aid applications. Commit to a program and ask about the summer workout program. Once you are a college basketball commit, you cannot attend another school.

Basketball recruiting websites and recruit rankings

There are a number of different basketball recruiting sites where you can find college basketball recruiting rankings. These sites can serve a couple of purposes. You can read basketball recruiting news on the sites and compare your stats with other athletes who are listed on them. You can also get yourself listed in these sites. Coaches check basketball recruiting sites to look at prospects’ rankings. If you have superior stats, getting listed might help you to attract attention.

Some of the top basketball recruiting sites include the following:

• 247 basketball recruiting
• NCAA basketball
• ESPN recruiting basketball
• Rivals basketball recruiting

Rankings can help you judge the competition. Rankings and standings can be broken down by teams and schools, top high school basketball players, and men’s or women’s basketball players.

Best college basketball teams

To learn about the best college basketball teams, you can review college basketball team rankings. The college basketball rankings change from year to year, but certain teams appear in the top 25 on a regular basis.

Currently, the highest-ranked team is Duke University’s Blue Devils. Other teams that regularly appear in the top-ranked teams include the University of Kansas Jayhawks, the University of Virginia Cavaliers, and others.

It is important to note that becoming a college basketball recruit for a top-ranked DI team is rare. You might find that basketball recruiting for a DII or DIII team may work better for you. If you have great grades, you can treat your athletic scholarship as a supplement to your other scholarships.

You can find NCAA basketball standings on the organization’s website. To find out who has the number one recruiting class in college basketball, check the team and basketball recruiting sites.

Basketball coaches

Many high school basketball players believe that they will be able to continue to the next level and will get scholarships to play basketball in college. High school basketball coaches should explain basketball recruiting to their players. They should tell them that the likelihood of getting scholarships is low.

High school coaches should emphasize the importance of building and maintaining an excellent academic record beginning in the freshman year. Good players who also earn top grades may be likelier to succeed in the recruiting process than similar players whose grades are average.

When you talk to coaches, you might be unsure of what you should say. You should start by sending an introductory email that grabs their attention. You might include your stats and a statement of your interest in their program. Talk about your GPA and provide a link to your highlights video on YouTube. To follow up on your email, call the coach. Respond to every basketball recruiting letter that you receive.

When you talk to coaches, pay attention to their communication styles. Great coaches are good leaders who can clearly communicate. They also tend to be disciplinarians who are also fair. Finally, great coaches become involved with their players’ personal lives and develop good relationships with everyone on their teams.

Basketball camps and showcases

There are several things that you can do to prepare for college recruiting for basketball. Start early and pay attention to your grades. Behave in a professional manner both on and off the field.

Try out basketball training camps and basketball showcases. These can help you to hone your skills and to gain exposure. You can look at a list of the top basketball camps. You can peruse the list and choose one that is close to you. Alternatively, you can check with the college that you are most interested in to find out about the basketball training camps and showcases that it has available.

It is important that you find a camp that matches your skillset the best. Look for one that has a low camper-to-coach ratio. There are seasonal camps that are available in the summer months as well as winter camps during holiday breaks.

Basketball recruiters

Finding a recruiter that you can trust can go a long way towards helping you through the recruiting process. You should look for a recruiter who has a strong track record and has received great ratings.

College recruiting services for basketball are available online. When you are searching for a good recruiting website, look for established recruiting firms that have years of experience and have built a large network of coaches. The NCSA has been helping players to find the colleges and programs that meet their needs since 1985 and has a network of more than 35,000 coaches.

Recruiting timelines and how you can get recruited

We’ve provided timelines for how the recruiting process works for both men and women. To learn how you can get recruited, you can read about getting noticed.

When do college basketball players have to commit? There are rules for the deadline to commit to college basketball for DI schools. The early period for signing a national letter of intent has an initial signing date in mid-November with the final signing date occurring one week later. The regular period for signing a national letter of intent has an initial signing date in mid-April and a final signing date a month later in mid-May.

When you sign a letter of intent, you have committed yourself to enroll in the college and to play basketball for at least one year. Because of the importance of where you attend college, it is important that you visit the campus and make certain that it will meet both your athletic and academic needs. Make sure that you are comfortable with the size of the student body, the location of the college, and the staff and coaches of the program before you sign.

Preparing early is a good idea. There is no time like the present to begin preparing for the recruiting process. The NCSA is available to help student-athletes through the process so that they might be matched with the coach and program that fits them the best.

The basketball recruiting process has changed substantially since the advent of the internet. In the past, coaches and their assistants would spend a significant amount of time traveling to high school games to scout out players. They also held more scouting camps and wrote letters. Today, a lot of the recruiting process occurs over the internet. Coaches may watch highlight videos online on YouTube with links that they are provided. They may reach out through emails and text messages and rely less on scouting trips.

Overview of NCSA

NCSA College Recruiting is a recruiting organization that was founded in the mid-1980s with the goal of matching athletes with college coaches across the nation. The organization is the largest in the U.S. and boasts a recruiting network of more than 35,000 college coaches.

NCSA has partnered with more than 120 top sports organizations and companies, including the following:

• USA Today High School Sports
• Adidas
• NAIA
• MaxPreps
• USATF
• US Sports Camps

Out of over 1700 reviews on Google Reviews, NCSA scores 4.9 out of five stars. NCSA focuses on finding the best college and sports programs for each high school athlete for which it works.

Get help from NCSA

With help from NCSA, you can gain exposure and potentially get discovered by college coaches. With more than 35,000 coaches in the NCSA system, you might find the one who matches your skillset the best. NCSA has earned hundreds of great reviews from its customers.

In the last year, 24,000 athletes with NCSA committed to colleges for sports. To learn more, call 866 495-5172. You can also start your free profile with NCSA today by signing up now.

How to Get Recruited for College Basketball

Playing college basketball is the dream for thousands of student-athletes across the country. But many families are often unsure of how to go about getting recruited by coaches. To be successful, recruits need to research their best college fit and actively market themselves to these coaches by creating an online profile and highlight video that showcases their athletic ability and leadership qualities. This section will answer the most common questions families have on how to get recruited for college basketball.

Quick Links

How does college basketball recruiting work?

How to get recruited to play college basketball

Men’s basketball recruiting timeline

What do college basketball scouts look for in recruits?

What percentage of high school basketball players play in college?

How important is club basketball?

How to join a AAU basketball team: how does AAU basketball work?

What to know about college basketball walk ons

What is a preferred walk on in college basketball?

Do college basketball teams have tryouts?

How to prepare for basketball tryouts: What coaches look for in basketball tryouts

How tall are men’s college basketball players?

Attend basketball recruiting camps

What does redshirt mean in college basketball?

Learn how to make a college recruiting video for basketball

Research schools and create your target list

Contact coaches on your target list

How your high school coach can help you in your recruiting process

How does college basketball recruiting work? 

Basketball recruits who are successful in their recruiting journey do the leg work: they build a list of realistic schools, create an online profile and highlight film, contact college coaches and compete in front of coaches at tournaments and camps.  From a coach’s perspective, here’s a quick overview of how they find student-athletes:

• Identify potential recruits. At any point in high school, coaches can send general materials, such as recruiting questionnaires, to student-athletes, and they usually send them out to a large number of freshmen and sophomores to gauge their interest in the program. Respond promptly to these materials.
• Second, in-depth evaluations. At this point, coaches focus on ranking their prospects and narrowing down their list. This is the stage where most families think the recruiting process begins. However, athletes who’ve made it this far have already passed an initial evaluation and shown some interest in the school. Tournaments, camps and highlight film are the most common ways coaches evaluate basketball prospects.
• Verbal offers and visits. After coaches have their list of ranked prospects, they extend offers and lock down verbal commitments. Many recruits who are being seriously recruited will partake in unofficial and official visits during their junior and senior years. 

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How to get recruited to play men’s college basketball

Recruiting isn’t a linear, clear-cut process. You could be nearing the end of your conversations with one coach, while simultaneously just beginning with another. But knowing what steps you can take to create a communication strategy and market yourself will help you secure a scholarship offer.

1. Research and build a target list. Student-athletes should visit college rosters and look at the players in their position (are they seniors who are graduating?), athletic stats (how do they measure up?) and backgrounds (does the coach recruit from a particular region or tournament?).
2. Compete at the highest level possible: To accurately assess a recruit’s ability to compete in college, coaches want to see them play against high-ranked athletes.
3. Compete in the summer during live periods: Scheduling conflicts make it difficult for college coaches to watch recruits play in-person during the regular season. So, they turn to live periods. These stretches in the offseason allow college basketball scouts and coaches to hit the road and scout several players at once. Attend elite or exposure camps as well.
4. Excel academically. The NCAA Eligibility Center determines the academic eligibility and amateur status for all NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 athletes. Understand the requirements to stay on track.
5. Create a highlight film. The best way to secure an in-depth and in-person evaluation is by sending coaches a highlight video and a full game film. It’s a quick way to show a snapshot of the recruit’s skill set.
6. Be proactive. Start by sending an introductory email that includes your online profile, highlight video, academic information, outstanding athletic achievements and personal interest in the program. Then follow up with a phone call. 

Men’s basketball recruiting timeline broken down by year in school

Here is a general guideline you can follow year-by-year to ensure your family is on track.

Freshman year

• Fill out questionnaires online and respond to coach materials. College coaches can send recruits general materials, such as questionnaires, camp information, non-athletic information about the school and materials published by the NCAA at any time.
• Meet with your guidance counselor and set academic goals for the year to keep your academic eligibility on track.
• Research colleges from all division levels.
• Create an online profile and if you have varsity or high-level competitive film, post your highlight video.
• Be proactive and call Division 1 and Division 2 coaches or athletics staff and talk to them on the phone.

Sophomore year

• Post your highlight video to your online profile, if you haven’t already.
• Aug. 1—Recruits can begin taking unofficial visits to Division 1 schools.
• Check that your sophomore year classes meet NCAA academic eligibility standards and register for the NCAA Eligibility Center.
• Send introductory emails to college coaches at your target colleges, if you haven’t already. And follow up with a phone call.
• NCAA Division 1 and Division 2— Student-athletes can receive personal contact and recruiting materials starting June 15 after their sophomore year. Coaches can call athletes, send text messages, direct messages and emails, as well as make verbal offers. Top Division 1 and Division 2 athletes are getting offers from college coaches at this time. Most Division 1 rosters are finalized before the start of junior year.
• NCAA Division 3—Off-campus contact is allowed after sophomore year. 

Junior year

• Take the ACT or SAT and submit your scores to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Upload your transcript to the Eligibility Center as well.
• Update your highlight video.
• NCAA Division 1—Off-campus contact is allowed beginning your opening day of classes.
• NCAA Division 1—Official Visits are allowed Aug. 1 of your junior year through completion of junior year (5 total visits).
• NCAA Division 3—Official visits allowed starting Jan. 1 of junior year.
• Offers continue to roll in for Division 2 prospects, as well as Division 3 and NAIA athletes.
• If you’re not getting interest from coaches at the schools you’ve been contacting, take a new look at your college list and find new opportunities.

Senior year

• Update your highlight video.
• NCAA Division 1—Recruits can take an additional five official visits during their senior year. They may re-visit a school from a junior year official visit.
• Nov. 13-20—Early signing period for NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 schools begins.
• Nov. 1—NJCAA Signing Date.
• Apply for the FAFSA on Oct. 1.
• Register with the NAIA Eligibility Center.
• Request final amateurism certification beginning April 1 in NCAA Eligibility Center account.
• April 15-May 20—Regular signing period occurs for Division 1 and Division 2.
• Division 3 and NAIA teams are finalizing their rosters during senior year. JUCO programs are also recruiting student-athletes at this time. Consider these schools if you haven’t secured a roster spot yet. 

What do college basketball scouts look for in recruits?

College coaches consider a few factors when determining an athlete’s ability. 

• Physical characteristics—height and body frame, athleticism and strength. In NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball, the average height of a college basketball player was just under 6’5” and the most common height listed was 6’7”.
• Technical skills. Coaches want to recruit student-athletes who have mastered the fundamentals.
• Basketball IQ. Can the student-athlete process information in real time during a game and make the right decisions?
• Academics. College coaches look for recruits who excel in the classroom. They know that student-athletes with a solid GPA and test scores will more likely be admitted into their university and have an easier college transition. Plus, a good GPA also tells coaches that the recruit is responsible and disciplined—traits they highly value. 

Of course, what coaches look for also depends on their program’s specific needs. Connecting with a college coach is the best way to understand what kind of recruit they need. Another quick way is to visit the team’s website and analyze their roster.

What percentage of high school basketball players play in college?

There are 551,373 high school men’s basketball players. Of that number, 18,540 —or 3.4 percent—go on to compete in the NCAA and less than one percent move on to the NAIA. Just less than one percent compete in NCAA Division 1 where there are 353 teams; one percent compete at the NCAA Division 2 level, which has 313 programs; and 1.4 percent compete at NCAA Division 3 with 109 teams. There are 430 JUCO programs rostering 6,352 basketball players. 

How important is club basketball in the college basketball recruiting process? 

AAU, which stands for the Amateur Athletic Union, can be a valuable tool in gaining exposure to college coaches. It allows recruits to compete against top tier athletes and offers coaches an extended look into their abilities. Elite Division 1 basketball players are often recognized in middle school through their AAU experience. But even though AAU provides several competitive opportunities, it isn’t a requirement to obtain a college basketball scholarship. Several prospects have foregone the AAU circuit and moved on to successful college and professional careers.

How to join a AAU basketball team. How does AAU basketball work? 

AAU is a youth sports organization and stands for the Amateur Athletic Union. Athletes form independent teams and compete in AAU tournaments against other teams. Teams are assigned based on geography. To find out which district you belong to and which team is best for you, you can visit the AAU website.

Many athletes value AAU as it provides an opportunity to compete against top-level talent that you typically wouldn’t find by solely playing locally. There are various levels of competition within AAU and as players develop and get better, they’ll switch to a higher competitive team. As a result, many AAU tournaments, especially NCAA-certified tournaments, often attract scouts, giving athletes a chance to play in front of college coaches. However, participating in these events can be costly. The AAU membership fee is $14 per year, but families can end up paying $400 to $4,000 dollars per year depending on how many tournaments they travel to. Many programs, however, offer financial assistance to help cut the high price tag associated with AAU.

Do college coaches recruit at AAU or high school games? The answer is, both. But joining an AAU program and competing during the off-season gives recruits the advantage to be seen by college scouts year round. It can be difficult for college coaches to attend many high school games during the regular season because of their competing schedules. AAU tournaments provide college coaches the opportunity to evaluate many recruits at one time. 

To get a membership or start a club, you can visit AAU’s website.

What to know about college basketball walk ons and how to walk onto a college basketball team

The first thing you should know about becoming a college basketball walk-on is that it is rare. Basketball rosters are not that big—there’s an average of 17 players per team across the divisions. Coaches aren’t going to give up spots to walk-ons if they don’t have to. Some student-athletes, though, are recruited as a preferred walk-on. These athletes go through the recruiting process and are offered a roster spot, but they don’t receive any athletic aid as the coach doesn’t have any scholarship opportunities available. 

Student-athletes have a better chance of walking on to a college team as a preferred walk-on compared to going to a tryout and making the team. Preferred walk-ons take all the necessary steps in the recruiting process to capture a coach’s attention: they proactively contact coaches and send their online resume; they attend camps and tournaments to gain exposure; they reach out to schools that are the right academic and athletic fit for them; and they take unofficial visits to the college.

Learn more about becoming a walk-on versus getting a scholarship offer. 

What is a preferred walk on in college basketball? 

After college coaches have handed out all of their scholarship opportunities, they may still continue to recruit student-athletes. In this scenario, a student-athlete is guaranteed a roster spot without receiving any athletic aid. These are known as preferred walk-ons. The recruit still goes through the recruiting process and joins the team—the coach just doesn’t have an athletic scholarship available for them.

Being a preferred walk-on means something different depending on the division and program, though. In NCAA Division 1, walk-ons typically don’t see much playing time and are less likely to receive an athletic scholarship in subsequent years. At the NCAA Division 2 and JUCO levels, however, some walk-ons earn playing time and a scholarship going into their second season. It is best to have clear communication with the college coach to understand playing and scholarship opportunities.

Do college basketball teams have tryouts? 

While NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 programs are allowed to conduct basketball tryouts, Division 3 cannot do so. Tryouts are limited to prospective student-athletes who are seniors in high school, junior college transfers or four-year transfers who have completed their basketball season. Tryout participants also must be on an official or unofficial visit to the campus. 

Typically college coaches only recruit one to two players as walk-ons. In Division 1, walk-on athletes don’t receive athletic aid and usually don’t get any playing time. Division 2 and JUCO programs more commonly give walk-ons a chance at competing for a roster spot and because these divisions offer partial scholarships, there’s also a chance to earn athletic aid after the first year.

How to prepare for basketball tryouts and what coaches look for in basketball tryouts 

When making roster decisions, college coaches consider a recruit’s physical characteristics, like height and body frame, athleticism, ability to execute the fundamentals and basketball IQ, which showcases the athlete’s ability to interpret what is happening at game speed, as well as their ability to make the right decision based on instinct and experience. These players can anticipate what will happen next, making their game more automatic.  

Securing a roster spot at a tryout is extremely rare. Student-athletes will improve their chances of walking on to a college team by establishing a relationship with the college coach ahead of time. Send them an introductory email with highlight film, game film, academic information, and contact information.

How tall are men’s college basketball players? 

The height of men’s college basketball players vary slightly from division to division. Generally, men’s basketball players are between 5’9” and 6’9”. Keep in mind that this should be used as a helpful guideline and not something set in stone. Players who don’t fall within these ranges are recruited every year by college coaches. The best way to understand a coach’s recruiting needs is to establish a relationship with them early on and analyze their current team roster.

View the average height of men’s basketball players by position across each division level.

Attend basketball recruiting camps to get noticed by college coaches 

Here are a few factors to consider when choosing the right camp: 

• College basketball camps are run by the college’s basketball program. Student-athletes have an opportunity to sample campus life and compete in front of the coach.
• Basketball exposure camps are designed to evaluate players and obtain a player ranking. Although they are not tied to a specific university, many basketball exposure camps offer players an opportunity to play in front of college coaches, especially at NCAA DIII men’s basketball coaches. Many of these camps are invitation-only, so the talent level is high – and excellent for player development.
• Lastly, there is a level of “elite camps.” These are typically invitation-only events that bring together the top recruits from each graduate class to compete against each other at a national level. They’re run by college coaches on the school’s campus, so they’re a great way for athletes to get exposure to coaches. 

If you want to get recruited at a college basketball camp, remember that most coaches attend events only to see players with whom they’ve already made some kind of connection.

Learn more about basketball camps and search for the best camps.

What does redshirt mean in college basketball?

The term “redshirt” is used to describe a student-athlete who does not participate in outside competition for an academic year. They’re allowed to practice and train with the team, but they don’t see any playing time. By doing this, they gain an additional year of eligibility, so technically they play four seasons in five years. Some coaches offer redshirt scholarships to freshmen who don’t meet the academic eligibility requirements coming out of high school, or as a chance to physically grow and prepare to compete as a collegiate athlete. In some cases, student-athletes redshirt for a year as they recover from an injury.

Learn how to make a college recruiting video for basketball

Creating a basketball highlight video is essential to garnering coach interest. Follow these straight-forward tips to put together a video that truly stands out: 

1. Choose games against your best competition, such as varsity level, high-level AAU games or any nationwide tournaments.
2. Focus the camera from mid-court while making sure the student-athlete is easily recognizable.
3. Use a tripod to avoid a shaky camera.
4. Don’t zoom in and out.
5. Make sure the person filming the match isn’t cheering. If there is excessive and distracting background noise, mute the video completely. Don’t add music to the video either.
6. Put a title card at the front of your basketball highlight video that includes your name and graduation year, such as “John Doe Basketball Recruiting Video Class of 2021.”
7. Stack your best clips first. Typically you’ll start your video by highlighting your shooting ability.
8. Focus on three or four strengths and organize your clips to highlight them. For example, if you’re an excellent three-point shooter, highlighting six straight threes is much more effective than showcasing one three-pointer, a pass, then a free throw, and then maybe another three, etc. 
9. Know what coaches are looking for in your position. In short, post players should showcase their shooting ability, quickness, ability to finish at the rim, rebounding, shot blocking, footwork and overall basketball awareness. Perimeter players should focus on scoring ability, quickness, ability to penetrate and finish at the rim, athleticism, basketball awareness and court vision. 
10. Cap your video with your best 20 to 30 clips and keep it under four minutes.
11. Send college coaches your highlight video, as well as one unedited full game video. If they’re interested in a recruit after watching their highlight film, they will want to evaluate the full game next. 

See the full list of tips for creating a basketball highlight video.

Research schools and create your target list 

The very first step in the recruiting journey is often the one most overlooked—research. Here are the most important factors to keep in mind:

• Academics: Visit the school’s website to see the average grades and test scores. Plus, consider which majors are offered and remember to ask the coach which majors are popular among athletes on the team.
• Athletics: Student-athletes can use their high school or club coach to help them assess where they can make an impact, or they can visit a team’s roster and analyze the athletes’ key stats.
• Cost: How much can your family afford and how much aid is the student-athlete eligible to receive at each school? NCAA Division 1 schools offer full ride scholarships, while Division 2, NAIA and JUCO programs offer partial scholarships. Many coaches, including NCAA Division 3, work with the admissions department to create financial packages that include need-based aid, grants, academic scholarships, work study and merit-based scholarships.
• Personal Preferences: Think about housing options, school size, social aspects, distance from home and even the weather.

As families start to find programs they’re interested in, we recommend sorting them into three categories: target schools, dream schools and safety schools. Most of the schools on a student-athlete’s list should fall into the target category.

Get a head start on your list by viewing NCSA’s list of Best Colleges for Student-Athletes.

Contact coaches on your target list

Once a recruit has done the research and built a realistic target list of colleges, they’re ready to contact coaches. Remember—never wait for a coach to reach out. Be proactive to get on their radar. Here are a few steps to take:   

1. Send an introductory email: An introductory email serves two purposes—to get an initial evaluation and establish a relationship with the coach. Make sure this email includes highlight film, academic information, contact information and key stats. Student-athletes should also personalize their email and explain their interest in that specific program. Never copy and paste—it’s almost guaranteed to get skipped over.
2. Tailor the subject line: Avoid generic subject lines, such as “Top basketball recruit,” and tailor the subject line to the school instead. For example, a recruit might want to include their GPA and test score in the subject line for high academic colleges, while highlighting key stats or awards to Division 1 schools.
3. Call coaches. Basketball coaches are allowed to talk to athletes on the phone when the recruits are the ones initiating contact. In other words, if a recruit calls an NCAA Division 1 coach, the coach is allowed to talk to them. Typically, they’ll want to email them letting them know what time they plan on calling so the coach can be prepared
4. Follow up. Whenever there is a noteworthy update to share, like a new ACT or SAT score or athletic achievement, email the college coach again to touch base. Because if they missed the first email (and coaches tend to be pretty busy), following up can help keep you top of mind.

See the full list of tips on contacting coaches.

How your high school coach can help you in your recruiting process

High school or club coaches are there to support student-athletes along their recruiting journey—and help them connect with college coaches. Here are a few ways: 

• Find the right college fit: Use their expertise and insight to create a college list of realistic programs. Plus, they probably have connections in the college network.
• Connect with college coaches: There’s a loophole in the NCAA basketball recruiting rules that allows student-athletes and college coaches to talk on the phone. If a student-athlete initiates the contact and calls the college coach, the coach is allowed to answer the phone and talk to the recruit. High school coaches can help facilitate this contact by acting as a liaison.
• Character reference: Men’s basketball coaches want to learn as much as they can about their top recruits, including their leadership qualities, attitude and talent. So, they call the recruit’s high school or club coach to get a better understanding of the athlete’s mental toughness, work ethic and behavior both on and off the court. 
• Video help: Don’t hesitate to ask your coach for help when creating a highlight film. Plus, they probably have full game footage already available.

Insider tip: Despite the impact that coronavirus had on college sports, as of June 1, 2021, the NCAA resumed its regular recruiting rules and activity! Coaches are actively working to fill their rosters, so student-athletes should be proactive in reaching out to coaches. Read up on how the extra year of eligibility granted to athletes who were most affected by the pandemic in 2020 will impact future recruiting classes.

where to study, salary, pros and cons

Author: Professional Guide

Updated by September 29, 2022

Basketball player is a professional basketball player. Such a team game is popular, first of all, in the USA. In Russia, it is somewhat inferior to football and hockey, but still quite in demand. By the way, the ProfGid career guidance center has recently developed an accurate career guidance test that will tell you which professions suit you, give an opinion about your personality type and intelligence.

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Brief description: who is a basketball player?

The basic rules of the game of basketball are usually known to everyone: two teams enter the field, the one that scores more points wins. Points are given for hitting the ball into a basket hanging at a height of 3.05 meters from the floor. The number of points that is counted for each hit depends on the distance from which the throw was made. In the process of moving around the field, players must dribble the ball, beating it off the floor, and not hold it in their hands.

Features of the profession

A professional sports career requires a lot of energy, effort, time and dedication. A basketball player must always be in good shape, his salary and popularity largely depend on the performance of his performance on the field, and he must work closely with other team members. The main duties of a basketball player are as follows:

• Daily attendance at training.
• Compliance with the regime of the day and nutrition.
• Participation in matches.
• Participation in non-match events of the club.
• Regular medical examination, following the recommendations of the doctor and trainer.

A basketball player must be prepared for the fact that he will periodically have to change the clubs he plays for, participate in international competitions from his country, and even during the match, cooperate with different groups of players (frequent substitutions are very common in this game).

Pros and cons of the basketball profession

Pros

1. Prestigious profession with a decent salary.
2. Opportunity to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
3. Opportunity to travel, communicate with representatives of different countries and peoples.
4. The joy of victories and the support of the fans.

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Cons

1. The need for talent or extensive experience to gain recognition and sign expensive contracts.
2. Negative emotions from defeats.
3. Occupational diseases (herniated disc, knee problems, Schlatter's disease).
4. Age restrictions on career length.

Important Personal Qualities

In order to successfully fill the position of a basketball player and succeed in this field, an athlete must be in very good physical shape, he must not have serious chronic diseases, he needs excellent endurance, concentration, speed of movement and reactions, perfect coordination. Most often, very tall athletes become successful basketball players. Analytical thinking, the ability to follow the strategy developed by the coach, make decisions quickly, and work together with the rest of the team will also not interfere.

Basketball training

Russian universities and colleges do not offer basketball training as such. You can learn how to play basketball in sports schools, and then improve your skills in basketball clubs. In parallel, you can get a sports education (including to successfully work as a coach after completing a career in big-time sports). In this context, the specialty "Physical Education" in colleges (code 49.02.01) or the same name in universities (code 49.03.01). A certificate is sufficient for admission to a secondary school, in addition to it, the results of the Unified State Examination in the Russian language, biology and physics are required for admission to the university.

Courses

Stremlenie Basketball Club

It is necessary to think about where to get the profession of a basketball player, if you have the appropriate inclinations, from childhood. Therefore, most basketball schools offer training for children and teenagers. One of these schools is the Stremlenie basketball club, where individual and team trainings are held. Members of the club also take part in competitions.

The best universities for basketball players

1. MSPU
2. RGSU
3. MGOU
4. RGUFKSMiT
5. RGUFK them. P.F. Lesgafta
6. RSPU im. A.I. Herzen

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Place of work

Basketball players play for basketball clubs, national teams. At the end of their careers, they work as coaches (both in adult clubs and in children's sports schools).

Salary of a basketball player

The level of income of such an athlete directly depends on his talent, experience, professionalism and fame. The more useful a basketball player can bring to the club, the higher the salary will be offered to him.

Basketball player salary for September 2022

Salary information provided by hh.ru portal.

Russia 15000—15000₽

Career growth

Building a career for a professional athlete is about improving your skills and getting more and more lucrative offers from clubs. With age, it may also involve a change from activity to coaching.

Professional knowledge

1. Human anatomy, physiology and biochemistry.
2. History of physical culture.
3. Psychology of physical culture.
4. Management of physical culture and sports.
5. Biomechanics of motor activity.
6. Rules of the game of basketball.
7. Team strategies when playing basketball.

Famous basketball players

1. Michael Jordan, one of the Chicago Bulls' most popular players, was on the club's winning streak six times in the NBA.
2. Shaquille O'Neal, recognized as one of the best players in the history of the NBA, also known for releasing rap albums and starring in several films.
3. Clyde Drexler, one of the best basketball players in the NBA, Olympian with 20,000 points in his entire career.

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Examples of companies with vacancies for a basketball player

The best trick in basketball

Nikita Yamshchikov, founder of Ball In